An investigation into authentic assessment practices of social studies teachers in the senior high schools (SHSs) in Ghana

Abstract

Influences of teachers’ authentic assessment on their classroom practices will be paramount to both teachers’ students if implemented effectively in the Social Studies classroom. The study used a descriptive case study design. Both the schools and teachers’ were simple randomly selected from fifty seven (57) government assisted Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the Central Region of Ghana. The study used ten (10) senior high schools and twenty (20) teachers’. Semi structured interview was the main instruments used for data collection. The research found out that for improvements to be made on teacher knowledge and ability and the policies and practices of authentic assessment in schools, teachers, students, parents and policymakers value and see the potential for authentic assessment to improve teaching and learning, it will continue to be under-emphasized, undervalued and poorly used. It recommended that the teaching universities in Ghana should broaden their scope on the teaching of assessment to incorporate authentic assessment.